He stayed up late one night in the house of Abu Bakr (رضي الله عنه) with the Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) of Allah, discussing the affairs of Muslims. The Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) of Allah went out and we went out with him, and there was a man standing and praying in the mosque. The Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) of Allah stood and listened to his recitation, and before we recognised whose voice it was, the Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) of Allah said, “Whoever would like to recite the Qur’an fresh as it was revealed, let him recite according to the recitation of Ibn Umm ‘Abd (‘ Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud (رضي الله عنه)).” Then the man sat and made du’a and the Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) started saying to him, “Ask, for you will be given, ask, for you will be given.”

‘Umar (رضي الله عنه) said, “By Allah, I will go to him tomorrow and tell him this good news. The next day, I went to him (‘ Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud (رضي الله عنه)) to tell him this good news and I found that Abu Bakr (رضي الله عنه) had beaten me to it. I never tried to beat him to something good but he beat me to it.”